A new Addition 2 to..........3

Well...... where have I been the last 2 weeks you may ask???????...Well, It seems we now have a new addition to the herd.  Two weeks ago my neighbor brought me a found dachshund....poor thing had been wondering around Ocean Blvd.  After 2 weeks of trying to find the owner  (and what effort that took!) and with no calls, the little guy has become part of the family.  My husband has really taken to the little fellow and he to him.  Last night they took a long walk down to the ocean...........both to return invigorated (which was great! since the girls tend to hang with me).  The other furries were not happy at first but now they seem to have adapted to his......well....very happy personality.  My husband and I keep going back and forth on names. Its down to Bud (Buddy) or Sam.   I like Bud..............he just seems like a buddy.

Summer Is Here!

Get out your watercolors!!!!.  Summer has arrived!

Faux Van Gogh's at Palos Verdes Art Center

This past Friday Zoe and I went to a wonderful art exhibit called "About Van Gogh" at the Palos Verdes Art Center in Rancho Palos Verdes. A small venue that made it perfect for a budding art student.  Out of the norm, this show is a collection of oil paintings done by unknown artists after famous Van Gogh paintings such as 'The Starry Night'. and a few Van Gogh self portraits, along with some other pieces I have long forgotten.
  You can really appreciate Van Gogh's brush work and his use of lines, dots and swirls. They also had a demo on how he did his 'Sunflower' pieces.
  Inspired.  Zoe has now started her own version of 'Starry Night' in oil on canvas.  

Tricia Guild is one of my favorite designers

Cover via Amazon

I love Tricia Guild.  An amazing fabric and wallpaper designer who started the Designers Guild in  in 1970.  Her patterns and color are a true inspiration for me.  I love looking over her latest book  'Tricia Guild Pattern', I think it came out a year or two ago.  Published by Rizzoli, New York.  It is true eye candy.  If you can grab a copy somewhere you will squeal with delight. Her juxtaposition of color and pattern are fun, creative, fearless and energetic.  Not to mention the incredible European (pre-WWII) rooms they are set in.  You can see her work at designersguild.com.  You must look at her 'wallpaper' and 'essentials' collection.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm......................

Flower Sculptures

  A very sweet couple we just met gave us this bouquet from their wedding reception. They had these flower sculptures at all the tables.  I had to take pictures.  What a masterpiece of color and texture.  I may do a painting after this in a somewhat abstract color field.  I don't know, maybe a painting would never do the original creation justice.   We'll see.

 Though these images did get me thinking of a beautiful little piece one of my younger students painted.  It was one of her first pieces and I love its simplicity and color.  I especially like the halo effect around the head of the hydrangea and the ruffles around the leaves. 
 Children see things in a simplified, clean way.  They see shapes without thinking about them.